Beauty and the Four Beasts
by Crimson-Eyes26
Summary: After meeting the past turtles, a girl simply looking for her missing friend ends up making a sacrifice for her to keep her safe from four foul beasts resembling the turtles. But are they really all bad? Beauty and the Beast parody. Implied Dark LeoXOC. Contains some angst, friendship, and romance.
1. Underground Crisis

Author's Note: This is set during TMNT Fast Forward and is a parody of Beauty and the Beast. It centers around the Dark Turtles and shines a bit of a what if light. Rate and review.

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Chapter 1: Underground Crisis

It wasn't uncommon to see aliens and mutants in New York these days. After all, this was the 22nd century, and everything was abuzz due to something about ninja turtles coming from the past to befriend the heir of O'Neil Tech. Advanced technology really wasn't a thing Keelee Lockhart was fond of, though you couldn't hope to tear her brother Connor away from it. Being a teenager, she was considered odd for not liking all the latest tech, but she was normal to her friends…well, they were somewhat-normal.

Now her brother was bugging her and their parents to go meet the Ninja Turtles and Cody Jones in person, and her parents agreed, much to her chagrin. And if that wasn't enough, Uzume wanted to tag along as well. Uzume Yamano…the two girls had been best friends since they were both in diapers. It wasn't a coincidence that they were best friends; friendship extended all the way back to their great-grandmothers. But Keelee found herself starting to worry when Uzume wasn't the first to show up as usual. If there was anything Uzume was good at, it was being early.

Her mind blocked out her brother currently talking with the one called Michelangelo about the Justice Force comics when she started to furiously text her friend questioning her on her current whereabouts. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she thought the turtles were actually cool; Leonardo was her favorite, but she knew if her great-grandmother were alive, she'd argue for Raphael. Knowing Uzume, Donatello would be the one she'd bet for.

"Are you sure Uzume's not sick?" Keelee's mother questioned.

Keelee shook her head, her cowboy hat almost falling off. "No…if Uzume was sick, she'd tell me. I've sent five texts and she's not answered any of 'em." She paused and shoved her phone into her pocket. "Mom, I'm worried. This isn't like Uzume at all."

"I'm sure she'll be here; don't worry so much Keelee. Now come on, maybe you can get an autograph from the turtles."

The brunette sighed and skulked forward to meet the four Ninja Turtles from the past. The skulking was a complete act; she really was pretty excited. If Uzume wasn't going to show up, she would at least get an autograph for her from Donatello. She also had other autographs in mind…but it would be a bit sensitive for one. After her annoying little brother got his autograph from Michelangelo, she stepped forward for her turn.

"'Scuse me, I don't mean to bother y'all, but is it all right if I get an autograph from you three?"

Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael glanced at each other before looking back at Keelee and nodding, the blue-clad turtle speaking first. "Sure thing…all for you?"

"No…just one…the one from you. Make it out to Keelee Lockhart." She suddenly turned to Donatello. "Make out an autograph to Uzume Yamano; she's my best friend who should've been here right now because she had some inventions to show you."

Donatello laughed. "A fellow tech-lover, huh? Sounds like you have a good friend!"

Raphael snorted. "And who's mine for?"

Keelee's smile faded. "It's…to put on my great-grandmother's grave."

The red-clad turtle's face dropped. "…I'm sorry."

"Oh…don't worry 'bout it. She just knew about you guys growing up, and you were always her favorite. Make it out to Chey…a true hero. I really appreciate it."

The three turtles got to work on the requested autographs just as Michelangelo finished giving Connor an autograph. Once they finished, Keelee took the papers and read them to herself.

_Always be true to yourself and those around you, Keelee. –Leonardo_

_To Uzume. Don't be afraid to be creative. –Donatello_

_Here's to Chey. A great hero to friends and family alike. –Raphael_

Keelee smirked and placed the autographs into her leather vest pocket; wouldn't Uzume be surprised? Speaking of whom…it was time to go find her. She walked away from her parents and brother and started heading down the street, the one she knew her friend usually took. Deep down, Keelee was worried; it wasn't like Uzume at all to show up late for anything and not let anyone know ahead of time. Once she found her, she would smack her upside the head and then present her Donatello's autograph. She stared down the street and didn't see anyone remotely resembling Uzume…and that's when a dark feeling sank into her.

Something wasn't right…and it literally stank.

There was a reason her great-grandmother was a hero…and she inherited it. Closing her eyes, she breathed out and stared sniffing the air, hoping to track Uzume's scent. To her surprise, the scent led towards an alley. Why on earth would Uzume go down an alley? Unless…someone forced her to. Fearing the worst, she ran in the direction of the scent until it died…right at an exposed manhole. What was Uzume doing in the sewers? Something bad was going on, and she was going to find her friend and get out of there as fast as she could. Pausing a moment, she finally jumped down the manhole and into the sewer water, which came up to her ankles. Great…she would have to wash her boots twice.

And then something caught her eye.

Lying on the ground…was one of Uzume's kimono fan hairpins.

The Japanese girl wouldn't be caught dead without her beloved pins, passed down from her great-grandmother, among other things. Despite the stink filling the air, she inhaled whatever residual scent was on the pin and determined where Uzume went…and she wasn't alone. She knew that her friend wouldn't come here of her free will…someone forced her down here…and that someone had the same stink as the sewers. No…there was more than one with Uzume. She was in danger! Feeling her heart start to race, Keelee raced down the pathway deeper into the sewers, her nose literally as her only guide. But as she got further down into the sewers, she began to hear voices…one of them a terrified Uzume.

"P-Please…let me go! I-I'll do a-anything you want, j-just l-let me go!"

"UZUME!" Keelee shouted. "I'm comin'!"

The brunette began to run faster and faster…until she came across something that wasn't a normal addition to a sewer unless you were a freak of nature: a lair, and a foul-smelling one to boot. She found some mildewed crates to hide behind when she got inside to see what was going on…and it wasn't good at all for Uzume.

The Japanese girl was surrounded by giant mutant…turtles? Say, they looked a lot like the Ninja Turtles hanging with Cody Jones…only these were more monstrous. There was a blue one with an eyepatch and swords, a large purple one covered in metal, a red one hunched over with knuckle busters, and a yellow one with a long tongue and clubs. They were all laughing as the purple one firmly held onto Uzume's arms, leaving red marks. They kidnapped her, and who knew what they would do to her! Keelee knew she had to act, but she didn't need to go half-cocked…and that's when she remembered her great-grandmother's "heirlooms"…two loaded pistols she had on her person. Technically, she wasn't old enough to have handguns, but her mother told her she was the only one who could use them now…

"Oh, you're not goin' anywhere, toots." The red one growled. "We're still tryin' ta figure out how to eat ya."

"Let's eat her raw! She'll be extra juicy!" The yellow one cackled.

The purple one suddenly tapped one of his metal claws on Uzume's scalp, drawing a small amount of blood that mixed with her raven hair. "Let's use that little brain of hers first…after all, she has some impressive inventions that can destroy those shell-heads!"

"She was on her way to meet them, so maybe she can be used as a bargaining chip." The blue one stated, obviously being the leader. "Who would think to find her down here?"

"Obviously, someone who's got a sense 'a smell stronger than a bloodhound's!"

The four Dark Turtles stood straight at the sound of the voice and looked around to find where it came from. Of course, Uzume knew immediately who the voice belonged to. After all…Keelee was always the one who came to save her from trouble. And right at that moment, Keelee came…with two guns drawn on these monsters.

"K-Keelee!" Uzume cried. "W-Where did you get those guns!?"

"No time fer that, Uzume!" She turned to the dark turtles. "Let Uzume go NOW!"

The Dark Turtles looked at this new human and began to chuckle darkly. Keelee's face dropped and she proceeded to lower her pistols, standing helpless as Uzume began to whimper at the purple one's touch. Why did she freeze all of a sudden? Where did the determination that was there just seconds before go? Was she scared herself? The blue one suddenly stepped forward.

"And you must be the Asian girl's friend. So nice of you to drop by during dinner."

"What are you guys and what're you gonna do to Uzume!?"

The purple one chuckled darkly and ran his claw against the Japanese girl's cheek. "What else? We're going to play with her for a while…and then her pieces will be in our stomachs. After we're finished with her…you'll be dessert!"

Keelee angrily shook her head and raised her heirloom pistols once again. "Nuh-uh! No way! I'm not lettin' you hurt a hair on Uzume's head! Let her go or I'm gonna SHOOT!"

The blue one suddenly unsheathed one of his swords and held it to Uzume's exposed neck. Keelee gasped and brought her arms back to her side, while her friend's whimpers grew louder and she started to shed fearful tears. "One more step and her head will be on a platter!"

"K-Keelee…I-I'll be fine!" Uzume panicked. "Y-You need to get out of here…a-and call the police!"

"Shut up!" The purple one growled as he squeezed his arm against her neck, threatening to strangle her.

The brunette bit her lip; this was a no-win situation, and there were no options left. Wait…there was one option left…though that was the last thing on her mind. But Uzume needed her to save her…and she knew Uzume couldn't handle her own…she knew that since they were toddlers. She had to do this…even if she would die later on…Uzume needed to be somewhere safe. Finally, Keelee suddenly dropped her weapons and held up her arms in defeat.

"…Then take me instead."

Uzume's eyes widened, along with the dark turtles'. "WHAT!? K-Keelee…y-you can't be serious! P-Please don't sacrifice yourself f-for me!"

Keelee didn't listen; she just continued. "Believe me…I'm much tastier than Uzume…and you won't get bored with me… Are you willin' to bargain?"

The Dark Turtles, particularly the blue one, pondered on this. They've never came across a human who was so willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of her friend; all the other humans they've encountered, especially the slime they worked for Darius Dun, usually went by the saying 'every man for himself'. But this one wanted to keep her friend safe, and they sensed no ulterior motives for this action. Still…humans were beneath them, and they only cared about killing the ninja turtles…but maybe the more talkative one would be better to keep since keeping both would raise suspicion. The blue one nodded to the purple one, and he released Uzume from his grasp.

"We have a deal." The blue one stated before shoving the Japanese girl forward. "Go and never return…and don't call the Ninja Turtles or else."

Uzume whimpered and stared teary-eyed at Keelee. She's saved her enough…why did she have to do this? Deep down, Uzume knew Keelee didn't like this either, but she was only trying to protect her. For once…for once she wished she had the backbone to force Keelee to run back to the surface with her…but Keelee wasn't the type to break an agreement, no matter what it was. As she cast her head down and was about to leave, the brunette stopped her and handed her something.

"Here…it's an autograph from Donatello…and take that other one and put it on Nana Chey's grave. Oh...and you dropped your pin."

"Keelee…p-please don't do this…"

Keelee offered a sad smile. "…Give the turtles an anonymous tip when you get the chance. Uzume…I'm gonna be okay…I promise… Please…tell my momma and daddy…and Connor too…that I love 'em."

Uzume fought to keep herself from sobbing as she mumbled. "…I-I will… I'm so sorry…Keelee…"

Once Uzume walked out of the lair and back to the surface, Keelee swallowed hard and stared at the Dark Turtles. They all had smirks on their faces…except for the blue one. He suddenly grabbed her arm, pinching the skin, and dragged her to face him. He lowered his face to hers and breathed heavily, his breath reeking like the city dump.

"Why would you sacrifice yourself for someone weaker? The weak need to be wiped out! What makes you so different!?"

Keelee, instead of answering, just snorted…and spat in his face. The blue one snarled and knocked her back against the wall, stunning her. She glared up at the Dark Turtles as they approached…but the blue one stopped the others from advancing as he wiped his face off.

"You shall be kept alive tonight…but tomorrow…you shall die."


	2. A Chance for Escape

Author's Note: Keelee discovers that the Dark Turtles have a more complicated situation than she thought. When she escapes from the sewers but is suddenly attacked, she could never guess who was going to save her...

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Chapter 2: A Chance for Escape

"Fooood!" Dark Michelangelo called. "Where did you go, food? Come out and play!"

"Why'd we hafta get one that was good at hidin'!?" Dark Raphael griped. "She could be anywhere!"

Dark Donatello scoffed. "Well, she can't hide forever, you imbeciles. She'll have to come out sometime!"

As for Dark Leonardo, he began looking around crate after crate trying to find their impending meal. He was especially eager to devour her after she decided to spit in his face for no reason. But at the same time…this one was entertaining, and much more pleasant than Darius Dun. Still, this game of hide-and-seek was getting very old very fast; she couldn't keep this up and they would go all day and all night if they had to.

Inside one of the crates, Keelee found herself clinging to the inside of the top, just in case they lifted the crate to see if anything was inside. It was a little trick that she picked up from her great-grandmother…it was literally in her blood. She kept herself silent, even though her heart was beating out of her chest and she was sweating profusely. If they found her, she would be as good as dead, ending up in their guts and being melted away by their stomach acids. She would hide for as long as it took…and then she would make a break for the surface, reuniting with her parents, brother, and best friend. But she overheard them say something about Darius Dun…

She knew a lot about Darius Dun, the uncle of Cody Jones, and she knew he used his connections with O'Neil Tech to do illegal business. But she didn't think the man was desperate enough to want total control over the company that he wanted to kill the Ninja Turtles AND Cody Jones. Now it didn't seem like such a surprise that these Dark Turtles were working for him. If she had the power, she would take Dun to the police herself… And then speak of the devil…

"It's the boss!" Dark Michelangelo shouted. "Do we tell him about the human?"

"No, sewage-fer-brains!" Dark Raphael argued. "If he finds out we scraped together a snack without his say, he'll have our heads!"

"For now, she's our little secret." Dark Leonardo declared. "So keep your mouths shut!"

"Whatever you say, Fearless Leader." Dark Donatello goaded.

As if on cue, Darius Dun showed up, some type of robot following him that mimicked his every move. Keelee was able to see him through a hole in the crate when she decided it was safe to drop down. But even with that robot, she thought, why did they act like they were afraid of this guy? They were so much bigger that him, and with the crimes he committed, they had every right to squish him. If he was the one who created them…he probably put a failsafe in them to make sure they didn't turn on him. The only way to know was to observe.

"Why aren't you out there eliminating the Turtles!?" Dun shouted in that oily voice of his. "Get out there and get the turtles or you won't eat! What are you even doing acting like you're looking for something!?"

Dark Leonardo growled. "We're doing what we can… But it's not even sun-down yet; you really expect us to go out during the day!?"

"We'll stick out like sore thumbs!" Dark Michelangelo argued.

"As if we don't already…" Dark Donatello muttered. "But why so desperate, Boss? Sounds like you're in too much of a hurry."

Dun growled at the Dark Turtles; he hated them almost as much as their originals. "There's rumor spreading that the Turtles are investigating the kidnapping of a teenage girl; one they think I am responsible for! I don't know anything about it, but their already hot on my trail!"

Dark Raphael snorted. "And how is that OUR problem?"

"If those blasted Turtles get their hands on me, everything I've worked for up to now will be FINISHED!" Dun shouted, being irrational as usual. "I don't care about some missing girl; I just want them off my back! Now I want you to get out there and attack them!" He paused before walking out. "And you may as well take care of my 'dear' nephew if you please!"

Once Darius Dun left the Dark Turtles, the red brute roared and slammed his talon knuckler into the ground, creating a small crater. "I HATE that guy SO much! Why can't we turn him into hamburger meat whenever we please!?"

"Don't you get it, you brainless behemoth!?" Dark Donatello spat. "As long as he has that hypnotic suggestion in our minds, we are powerless against him!"

Dark Michelangelo growled. "Once those goody two-shoe turtles are pulverized, let's go see a lobotomist!" He paused when he felt his stomach growl. "I'm hungry; where's our snack!?"

"We'll worry about her later." Dark Leonardo muttered. "Let's just do what Dun says…for now."

The Dark Turtles left their lair to begrudgingly follow the orders of Darius Dun. Keelee watched them leave from her hiding and felt herself starting to feel sorry for them. They didn't have any free will at all? And they said something about a 'hypnotic suggestion'? Hmm…as soon as she got back home, she would talk to Uzume about it; she was the right person to figure out how to deal with a brain problem. But just because she was feeling sorry for them didn't mean she was going to stick around; this was her time to make a break. No longer detecting their scent, Keelee climbed out of the crate and looked for the best exit. She immediately recognized one of the tunnels…because it led to an area she visited the most. It wouldn't hurt to pay a visit before heading home.

Keelee ran down the tunnel, being careful not to be spotted just in case the Dark Turtles were somewhere nearby taking their sweet time. However, even with the overpowering stench of raw sewage, she couldn't smell them anywhere near her. Well, it looked like she was in the clear. She trudged through the thick sewer water until she came across a manhole cover above her. And just her luck, even with the future, they still used ladders to get in and out of the sewers whenever maintenance needed to be done. Being careful not to slip and fall, she climbed up the ladder and used all her strength to push the manhole cover up and slide it to the side.

There was a blanket of fog here, but it wasn't uncommon. After all, the sun had just gone down…and it was the cemetery. She wiped the bottoms of her boots on the dry grass and walked up to the gate, pushing it open with a creak. She came here a lot, especially after school and church; even though death was a theme, she felt at peace for some strange reason. Maybe it was because there was a kindred spirit at rest here. And after walking several feet, she found that special place.

Nana Chey's grave.

The brunette sat down in front of it, staring at the engravings on the headstone and a few bouquets of fake flowers to make it beautiful. She was buried right next to her husband, together for eternity, and it had the names of her grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, and her mother and her aunts and uncles, all still alive. Whenever Keelee came here, she talked to her deceased great-grandmother, and she felt like her spirit listened. She was just glad to finally get away from those horrible Dark Turtles…and that's when she felt herself falling asleep next to the headstone. But she managed to get a glimpse of a piece of paper set in one of the flower stands… She would remember to thank Uzume later…

_"They are not as bad as you think. They need guidance…and I believe you are the one who can give it to them."_

_"…N-Nana…?"_

_"Don't always listen to your mind. Do what your heart is telling you. That is your true power. It's time to overcome your fears, Keelee."_

Keelee woke up and realized she had fallen asleep, as indicated by the moon glowing in the sky. She didn't plan on sleeping so long, but she at least regained some of her energy needed to get back home. The way home from the cemetery was something etched in her brain, so it wouldn't be a problem. However, she was never out her during the night, and then there were the rumors. Rumors of some type of animals the Triceraton gang lost control of and they still lurked around the city. The animals were created to establish power for the gang, but even those brutes didn't know about leash laws. With a deep sigh, she got up and headed for the gate, pushing it open once again and closing it back.

And that's when she got the sense she was being watched.

Swallowing the knot in her throat, she just walked down the familiar path, not once looking over her shoulder, until she heard a deep growl, like that of a wild dog. But she knew there were no wild dogs in this area…so that could only mean… Realizing she was in potential danger, she drew out one of her pistols and cocked it, but she didn't really want to use it. The growl came again, but it was much louder and much deeper. Sweat beading on her forehead and her eyes like saucers, she slowly turned her head to see the source of the noise.

That's when she realized the rumors about mutant dog-like beasts weren't just tools to make kids behave.

She ended up coming face-to-face with a large mutated dog, larger than a horse. The creature breathed hard on Keelee and drooled, hungry for some fresh meat. Staring at the behemoth for a moment, she suddenly let out a scream and ran in the opposite direction. The beast just roared and gave chase, her scent easy to track through the fog. Keelee sprinted through puddles and thick weeds, not caring that she was getting splattered with mud and moss. She tried to use her gun on it, but she was so scared she fumbled with it and it dropped. She quickly picked it up and kept running, but the thing was catching up fast. The brunette suddenly remembered something else in her arsenal…but she was too frightened to use it…especially after the accident when she first used it.

The mutant dog swung its paw and knocked Keelee to the ground, causing her to land in a mud puddle and to get entangled in weeds. The mutant glowered over her and growled, ready to eat her alive. Frantic, Keelee just put her arms over her head and closed her eyes. And then…

Something charged the beast and knocked it back.

Keelee suddenly opened her eyes to see what just saved her. Was it the Ninja Turtles? Did Uzume give them her message and track her here? No…she didn't expect this at all.

It was Dark Leonardo.

The Dark Turtle got into a wrestling match with the dog mutant, punching it several times in the face and stomach. The beast retaliated by sinking its teeth into his left arm, causing him to cry out in pain. In a rage, Dark Leonardo punched the mutant dog hard…and finished it by slicing its head off. The beast no longer a threat, the blue Dark Turtle turned around and faced Keelee.

"…I…I don't understand…" The brunette mumbled.

"Now you know better…than to try and escape…" Dark Leonardo panted. "You don't know…what you'll run into…after dark…"

The human suddenly noticed the bleeding open wound on his arm and shouted, "Y-You're hurt! Y-You need ta get to a doctor…!"

"…It's…just a scratch…"

Keelee suddenly felt conflicted. She could just leave this guy be and be done with it while he was injured. But…that wasn't a very honest or honorable thing to do, even if the guy threatened to eat you. She really wanted to go home…but she couldn't leave this guy to bleed to death or get an infection. Finally, sighing a bit and steadying her shaking body, she looked up at the Dark Turtle and asked, "…Do you guys have a first-aid kit?"

* * *

"Whoa, what happened to HIM?" Dark Michelangelo asked as he and the other Dark Turtles watched from behind a wall.

"A bite wound…" Dark Donatello mused. "Looks like he got in a struggle with a Triceraton gang mutt."

"It's her fault, ya know." Dark Raphael muttered. "If she didn't try ta escape…"

Dark Leonardo was currently in his personal chamber staring at his wound. Keelee was rummaging through a first-aid kit they smuggled and found some bandage wrap, disinfectant spray, and iodine. When she turned back around with the items, she caught the Dark Turtle attempting to lick his wounds like an animal. There was no telling what kinds of germs were in his mouth, and he could give himself a serious disease. She walked forward and gave a harsh glare.

"I don't think so! There's no tellin' what's been in your mouth!" She paused and opened the bottle of iodine. "Now this next part's gonna hurt a lot, but it'll help your wound heal faster. Now hold still…"

Before he could protest, Dark Leonardo screamed in pain as the brunette dropped some iodine in his open wounds, his flesh burning. Once his screaming ceased, he snarled and smacked the iodine away.

"NONE of this would've happened if YOU hadn't ESCAPED!"

"Well, maybe if you hadn't threatened to EAT me, I wouldn't have tried ta escape!"

"Well maybe if you…!" He panted and realized he had nothing to defend that. "You…"

Keelee avoided eye contact with him for a moment and avoided talking all-together. The other Dark Turtles stared in amazement at how she lashed out at him after he did the same; what kind of person was she? But what really amazed them was that she was actually WILLINGLY treating his wounds; others would've left him for dead. After such a long period of silence, at least it was long for them, Keelee spoke.

"Why did ya save me?" Keelee asked as she sprayed and bandaged the wound.

Dark Leonardo was taken aback. "…W-Why should I answer that? Why did you stay behind and help me?"

"Well…because it was the right thing to do. I wasn't raised ta abandon someone who's hurt…"

"…The right thing…to do?"

"I do have another question. Y'all are bigger than that SOB Dun…so why do ya work for 'im?"

The other Dark Turtles began glancing at each other; they knew the question was directed at them as well. They knew the answer, but they were too embarrassed to tell a human about it, even when this human was showing pity. Well…Dark Leonardo spoke for them.

"You could say…we have no choice." The blue Dark Turtle sighed. "Even if we tried to get back at him, we couldn't; he has a hypnotic suggestion implanted in our brains so we can't turn on him. And he provides us the food we need to survive…even when he doesn't provide much…"

"That's horrible… Even if you guys aren't like by society, ya shouldn't have ta be treated like that."

Dark Leo snorted. "What…you're actually feeling sorry for us? Everyone else looks at us like freaks…but I guess you could say we ARE freaks."

"…You ain't freaks…ya just haven't been raised right. Clones or not…ya deserve to live."

"…" Dark Leo stayed silent for a moment, taking the time to digest what this human just told him; he deserved…THEY deserved to live? Finally, he snorted again and muttered, "…Not all humans are bad after all…"

As for the other Dark Turtles, they just stood agape from their eavesdropping place. Dark Michelangelo and Dark Raphael glanced at each other; none of the humans they met were like this…so maybe they had some sort of chance to be free. But as for Dark Donatello…he just glared at the female like she carried the Bubonic Plague; how dare she intrude on them and suddenly show them pity. He didn't need this…the other fools could play this game, but he flat-out refused to get comfortable with her…


End file.
